Automatic pin-spotting mechanism



Mar. 20, 1923. 1,449,012

c. LORENZ ET AL AUTOMATIC PIN SPOTTING MECHANISM Filed June 9, 1921 '7sheets-sheet 1 Charles Loren Emxl Knmsh.

Mar. 20, 1923. 1,449,012

c. LORENZ ET AL AUTOMATIC PIN SPOTTIN MECHANISM Filed June 9, 1921 7sheets-sheet 2 Charles Lorenz Emrl Kumsh AUTOMATIC PIN SPOTTINGMECHANISM Filed June 9, 1921 7 sheets-sh ft 5 Mar. 20, 1923.

Filed June 9, 1921 7 sheets-sheet 4 WNi EmrI Kumsh 2. W

Mar. 20, 1923.

C. LORENZ ET AL AUTOMATIC PIN SPOTTING MECHANISM Filed June 9, 1921 '7sheets-sheet 5 &

Charles Lorenz Emrl Kunmh 70 V Ml:

Mar. 20, 1923. 1,449,012

0 LORENZ ET AL AUTOMATIC PIN SPOTTING MECHANISM Filed June 9, 1921 7sheets-sheet 6 aux e4 to: Charles Lurenz Emfi Kxmlsh Mar. 20, 1923.1,449,012

c. LORENZ ET AL AUTOMATIC PIN SPOTTING M CH NISM Filed June 9, 1921 7sheets-sheet 7 Charles laren.z Emil Kumsh Patented Mar. 20, 1 92 3.

Lonmwzam;

m1. KUNIBH, OI mnowoc, mm.

AUTOIA'I'IO'P IN- BPOTTIHG Application fled June a, 1021. mm Io. 410,2".

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, Drums Lonrmz and EMIL Kmnsn, both citizens of theUnited States, and. residents of Manitowoc, in the county ofManitowoc'and State of Wisconsin, have invented certain new and usefulIm rovements in Automatic Pin- Spotting echanism'; and we doherebydeclare that the following is a full, clear, and exact descriptionthereof.

Our invention relates to a new automatic in spott' g mechanism which isadapted to used in connection with a bowlin alley to perform the workwhich is ordinarily done by alley boys.

The primary object of our invention is to construct an automatic devicewhich may be used in connection with standard pins for resetting thesame and operated by the attendant from the front end ofthe alley.

A furtherpbject of our invention is to construct an automatic device 0erated from the front end of the alley Whlch ma also be used to clearthe alley after each ball and leave the spare pins standing in theiroriginal "tion.

ith the above and other objects in view which will be apparent as thedescription proceeds, our invention includes certain structural detailswhich are fully described hereinafter, andillustrated in theaccompanyiug drawings, in which:

, Figure 1 is a side elevation of our invention attached to a bowlingalle Figure 2 is a plan view of t e same. Figure 3 is a front elevationofa ortion of the mechanism as viewed from t e line 3-.3 of Figure 1. v

Figure 4is a side elevation of a ortion of the invention including theelivery chute.

Figure: 5 is a sectional elevational view taken on the line 5-5 of F ire 4.

Figure 6 is a longitudina section through the separator box, and showingthe distributing tubes leading therefrom.

Figure 7 is a side elevation of the spotter frame, and certain mechanismcooperating therewith.

Figure 8 is a plan view of the spotter frame viewed from the line -88 ofFi re 1.

Figure 9 is a perspective detailed view of the sweeper. l

Figure 10 is a detailed view of the means for positioning the pins.

Figure 11 is a detailed view of the means for operating the ca v Figure12 is a detail view of the lower end of a modified from of deliverytube..

Figure 13 is a lan view of a modified 00 form of carrying plate, and

F igure 14 is a sectional view taken on line 1414 of Fire 13.

Referrin in rail to the drawings, the numeral 1 esignates a standardalley hav- 65 mg the grooves 2 at each side of the space where the pinsare set and a return trough 3. When the pins are knocked down they rollor are afterward-swept into the pit 4. The bottom of the pit is formedwith a stepped portion as shown in Fi re 1 and above this we provide avertical ard 5. This board serves to stop the pins and balls as they arethrown backward and no matter how the gins fall into the pit whetherhead or butt 76 rst, they will strike the board and will drop sidewiseinto the step d portion of the pit beneath the board and be fedsidewise, one at a time, into the elevator 6, which is mounted at therear thereof. This elevator 80 comprises an endless belt 7 which carriesthe flights 8, which receive the pins and balls as they are deliveredunderneath the board 5. The elevator is driven by means of the wormgearing 9, which is operated b I a suitable motor 10. As the pins andball s are carriedmpgthe elevator, the balls are pushed outwafriily bythe projectionll and fall through the hole 12 into the portion 13 of thereturn trough, as shown in Figures 1, 00 and 3. The projection 11 is notbig enou h and the pins are not short enough for t e latter to be pushedthrough the hole 12. The pins are, therefore, carried to the top of theelevator and delivered through the 08 month 14 thereof, as shown inFigure 4, and fall into the hopper 15. The bottom of the hopper 15 isformed with a plurality of rollers 16, as shown in Figures 4 and 5, andat the lower end there is an opening 17 through which the pins aredelivered to the chute 18. It will be noted that the pins as they aredelivered from the mouth of the elevator, will fall into the hopperlengthwise thereof. If the bottom of the pin is disposed downwardly, itwill pass over the last roller 16, and the weight thereof will tip thepin and cause it to all butt first into the chute 18. If, however the incomes down over the hopper head inst,

the weight of the butt thereof will prevent it from tippin until itshead passes into the slot 19. e butt will then pass from the last rollerand drop into the chute. Thus it will be seen that all of the pins willpass into and through the chute 18 butt first. From the chute 18 theypass into the separator box 20. This separator box is initial] disposed,as shown in Figure 6, that is, sac

of its ten compartments 21 are covered by the pivoted covers 22, whichare rabbeted so as to form a continuous plane upper surface. Thecompartments 21 are separaated by partitions 23 which have each abeveled upper edge 24 against which the cover 22 abuts when it has beenrocked by one of the pins.

Upon reference to Figure 6, it will be seen that the first pin slidingbutt first over the covers 22, will reach the cover over the lastcompartment 21 and the wei ht of the butt will tilt the cover and leavet e pin standing in the compartment. In the same manner the next pinwill be delivered to the second com altment, and so on.

e separator box is provided with a bottom 25 which is pivotally mountedon the pins 26, and when empty the bottom will gravitate to closedposition owing to the counterweight 27. It is normally locked in thisposition by means of the finger 28, which is held by the s ring tripmember 29. When the last in fa ls into the last compartment it stri esthe trip member 29 and unlocks the finger 28, and the combined weight ofthe pins swings the bottom in opposition to the weight 0 thecounterbalance 27 and the pins are dropped into the deliver tubes 30.The other ends of the delivery tu are arranged in the proper positionfor delivering the pins to the spotter frame, and are secured to'a frame31 which is supportedb standards 31 which are mounted on the sides ofthe alley and braced by the rods 31".

The spotter frame 32 is normally held in the position shown in Figure 1,and shown in dotted lines in Fi ure 7. Above the spotter frame is asecon a two-piece frame 33 and 34 which is pivote to the spotter frameat 35. This secondary frame is pivoted with guide plates 36 which aredisposed underneath the lower ends of the respective distributing tubesand guide the pins butt first underneath the carrying plates 37. Thebutts of the pins drop through the holes 36 which are provided in thelower ends of the guiding plates 36 and extend through the spotter frame32. The neck of the pin is t en caught in the recess 38, Figure 8, inthe end of the carrying plate, and suspended as shown in the upperdotted line position in Fi re 7.

e spotter frame is securely attached to guide rods 39 and 40, which areguided in suitable brackets 31 from the frame 31. The

frame 32 is sus nded in the desired position by the cab cs 41, 42 and 43which are secured at their lower ends to the corners of the spotterframe and pass therefrom upwardly over the sheaves 44, 45 and 46, asshown in Figures 1 and 2 and thence over the sheaves 47, 48 and 49respectively. As shown in Figures 3 and 4, the sheaves 47, 48 and 49 aremounted on the shaft 50 which is rotatably mounted in the bracket 51secured to the side of the alley and to the elevator frame. The ends ofthe cables 41, 42, and 43 are'secured to the counterweight 52 whichnormally holds thes otter frame 32 in its uppermost position. or thepurpose of lowering the spotter frame in opposition to the counterweight52, a cable 53 is provided which is mounted on a sheave 54 and passesaround the sheave 55 and thence to a lever 56 mounted at the front endof the alley. Thus when the lever 56 is moved so as to exert a pull onthe cable 53, the same will rotate the sheaves on the shaft 50 raisingthe counterweight 52 and allowing the spotter frame to descend towardthe alley.

The lever 56 may be moved into the end of either one of two slots 57 and58 as shown in Figure 2. One of these slots is slightly longer than theother, the purpose of which will later be explained.

In order to spot the pins, the spotter frame is lowered to the positionshown in full lines in Fi re 7. When lowered to this position it wil beobserved that the rods 59 and 60 which are connected to the respectivesections 33 and 34 of the secondar frame will ride downwardly throughthe ame 31 until the nuts or washers 59 and 60 at the upper endsthereof, engage the frame 31, and the sections 33 and 34 are raisedabout their pivot 35 as shown in Figure 7.

The carrying plates 37 from the rear rank of pins are secured to atransverse rod or shaft 61, which is pivotally mounted on the section 33of the secondar frame. Projecting from the shaft 61, is an arm 62 towhich is pivoted a rod 63 which passes downwardly through the spotterframe 32 and has a nut 64 on the end thereof. When the section 33 israised by the rod 59 the nut 64 engages the frame 32 and rocks the shaft61 so as to raise the carrying lates 37 and release the pins. In orderto re ease the pins in the other ranks at the same time, an arm 65 issecured to the shaft 61, which arm is connected by a link 66 with an arm67 secured to a shaft 68 which carries the plates for the next rank ofpins. An arm 69 secured to the shaft 70 is also connected by the link 66and the link 71 is also connected thereto, so that all of the carrierplates are rocked simultaneously to release all of the pins.

The links 66 and 71 carry weights 72 so that when the carrier plateshave once been rocked to this position they will be held therein bygravity. Consequently when the spotter frame is again raised, the pinswill be left standing on the alley.

It will be understood that the holes 36" r than the dimust be madesomewhat lar ameter of the pins. In or er to roperly set the pinsaccurately, we have, t erefore, provide the fin rs 73 and 74 as bestshown in Figure 10. hese fingers are pivotally connected to the spotterframe and connected to each other bythe link 75. The lower end 76 of thefinger 74 first engages the surface of the alley and both fingers areswung to the position shown in dotted lines in Figure 10, whereupon thepin is firmly seized and accurately positioned, the spotter frame isthen drawn to its uppermost position and the pins are. ready for thenext player.

It frequently occurs during the play, that the first or second ball willleave pms which have been knocked down lying in the alley. It is,therefore, necessary to provide means for clearin the alley whileleaving the spare pins standlng. This ma be done by means of ourinvention by the following operation. The spotter frame is lowered untilthe sections 33 and 34. reach their lowermost position, but not lowenough to have the secondary frame raised by the rods 59 and 60. Theslot 57 in Figure 2, indicates the limit of this movement when thespotter frame is left in this osition. The carrier plates 37 corresponin to the spare pins will be raised sufiicient y 'to slip past the headsof the pins and will then drop back to horizontal position. In thisoperation the plates 57 are not moved far enough for the weights 72 tooverbalance the same. The spotter frame is then raised, the spare pinsare picked up, and the sweeper may then be operated to clear the alley.After the alley has been cleared the spotter frame is again lowered butthis time to its lowermost position, which position is indicated by theslot 58, as shown in Figure 2. In this position the spare pins will bereset in the manner hereinbefore described, and the spotter frame willbe again raised to its original position.

The means for clearing the alley either after the spare pins have beenraised or when the players turn has been completed and it is desired toreset the pins will now be described. This means for clearing the alleycomprises the sweeper element 77, which is loosely mounted on a rectanlar frame 78 which is pivoted at 79 to the sup porting frame. Thesweeper is normally held in the position shown in full lines. in Figure7, by means of the spring 80 connected to the other end of the frame 78and to the supporting frame. When it is desired to clear the alley, theframe 78 is swung about its which extends forward y to the front endpivot by means of the cable 81,-

of the alley, and passes over the sheaves 32 grooves 2 when the sweeperelement is lowered. As the attendant continues to pull on the cable 81,the swee r element is drawn u wardly to sweep the pins back into thepit.

e feet 85 are made of suflicient depth so that the cross bar 86 will notcome into ac tual contact with the surface of the alley. Thus there isno dangerof injuring the smooth surface.

In order that the pins may strike the guide Plates 36 at an oblique an1e and thus side reely under the plates 3 it may be preferable to formsome of the delivery tubes 30 with a bend or elbow near the lower end asshown at 30 in Figure 12. ,In this structure it is necessary to providethe openin 30" to allow free passage of the head 0 t e inin making theturn so, as to prevent stic 'ng.

A transverse rod 30 is' also carried by the frame 31 so as to preventthe head of the pin from tipping up, when the butt enters the hole 36,until it has reached the proper position for the neck to be engaged bythe recess 38 in the ca ing member 37.

In Figures 13 an .14, we have shown a modified form of in car g member37 which consists o a ske eton' framework loosely journaled on the shaft70. This ermits the carrying member to be li up easily when the spotterframe is lowered to pick up the s are pins, without knocking the pinsover. member 37 en ages the fixed abutments 37 which are hefii to theshaft by the set screw 37".

From the foregoing descri tion, it will be seen that we have invente amechanism which is entirely automatic in its nature, and may be actuatedwholly bythe attendant in front of the alley. No alley boys are needed.No inconvenience is caused by the alley boys going on a strike orfailing to report for uty, and the pins are always accurately set.

It will be understood that the structure herein described is merelyillustrative and that man modifications may be made in the structuraldetails thereof, without departing from the spirit of the invention asdefined by the appended claims.

We claim as our invention:

1. In an automatic pin spotter for bowling alleys, means for c caringthe pins from the -alley, a separator box above the alley havingacompartment for each pin, means for delivering the pins to theirrespective compartments and the balls to the return trough, a setterframe suspended above the alley, distributing tubes for guiding the enthe pins are lifted, the

pizza from the box to the frame, means tripped by the last pin fordischarging the pins from the box into the distributing tubes, and meansfor lowering the frame and setting the pins in their proper position inthe alle 2 In an automatic pin spotter for bowling alleys, means forpicking up the spare ins after each ball, means for clearing the a lay,means for subsequently resetting said spare pins, said clearing meansbeing again operable after the completion of the layers turn, aseparator box above the al ey having a compartment for each pin, meansfor delivering the pins to their respective compartments and the ballsto the return trough, a setter frame suspended above the alley,distributing tubes for guiding the pins from the box to the frame, meanstripped by the last pin for discharging the pins from the box into thedistributing tubes, and means for lowering the frame and settin the pinsin their proper osition in the a ey.

In testimony t at we claim the foregoing we have hereunto set our handsat Manitowoc in the county of Manitowoc and State of isconsin.

CHARLES LORENZ. EMIL KUNISH.

